What Now?
by Imagen99
Summary: After the battle, the trio are having a hard time coming to terms with what it means for their lives.


_I Own Nothing!_

It was over. They'd won the battle and Voldemort had been vanquished. Streams of parties and celebrations had erupted all over the country and yet all Harry Potter wanted to do was sleep. Looking at his two best friends wearily, he muttered a quick "Common room?" and they nodded, setting off together.

The sound of their sluggish footsteps in the hall was deafening. It was highly unnatural for the castle to be so silent, for not even the stairs could be heard creaking. The journey to the common room was long and the exhausted teens were like ghouls with their pace. Eventually Ron summoned up enough strength to carry a weak kneed Hermione and encourage Harry to make it the last few steps to the Gryffindor common room.

The hinges to the door swung open seamlessly and the three barely made it to the burgundy sofas before collapsing together. For a few moments they sat there looking at each other, trying to engrave the moment in their minds. Unspoken conversations were had and silent thank yous were heard. At one point Hermione and Ron smacked Harry across the head as his eyes turned apologetic and that prompted him to say the words aloud.

"Thank you guys. For everything." He said with all the sincerity he could muster. Hermione burst into tears, reaching out to the both of them.

"Oh-oh I'm so grateful too! I-I- never realised it, but seeing you dead there H-Harry…I love you guys." Harry was shocked. Gobsmacked even. Luckily Ron understood.

"She means as family mate." Harry nodded, and turned to smile at the weeping girl in his arms, possibly the only one who would ever compare to Ginny.

"I love you both too." Ron grunted his agreement, and looked away with his eyes shining. Tentatively Harry encircled his arms around Hermione, looking to Ron for permission and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Shh…It's fine we're all safe, we're going to be fine." Ron joined in on the hug, and conjured a blanket for them all.

"It's all over now. We're free." The truth in his words struck Harry, and to his surprise he felt tears begin to prick his eyes as well. His future was finally unhindered. He was free of Voldemort, free of the prophecy…

It was bloody brilliant.

"I don't want to leave you two…" Hermione's voice whispered. She clung to them tighter. "Not tonight." Harry couldn't help but agree with her.

The nightmares tonight would be horrific, and he didn't want to wake up to find them gone. Not tonight. "It's alright, we can sleep here." He whispered back. Hermione pulled her small beaded bag from her sock.

"I still have all of our stuff." She handed them each a pair of pyjamas and hurried off into the bathroom. When they got back Harry and Ron laughed. They were matching. Hermione turned scarlet. "Well I had to conjure some last week since our old clothes were too big, and I couldn't think of a design…"

Ron quirked an eyebrow. "If anyone sees us in these I'll never speak to you again." Nevertheless he enlarged the sofa for them and crawled under the blankets Hermione conjured. Harry, out of habit performed the usual charms and Hermione rested her head on Ron's chest. Unsure of where he should go, Harry lingered on the edge offering him her hand, Hermione brought it to her stomach.

"It's alright Harry; I just want to know you're there. Awkwardly he climbed in and snuggled against Hermione's side. They lay there listening to each other's breathing for a while, enjoying the silence. The noise would come later, along with the prophet and hoards of fans. But tonight, they would rest and be together.

They drifted off to sleep one by one and as Harry dozed; his last comprehensive thought was that he was so happy that his family was still whole.

~~~/~~~

That morning the trio were pleased to wake up to each other beside them. Harry had woken up first, for once not plagued by strange nightmares, instead having normal ones that seemed pale by comparison. Realising he was the first, he lay awake listening to the steady ebb and flow of the other two's breathing. It was very comforting.

Ron awoke gasping. Harry calmed him down almost instantly. "It's alright we're fine. It' over, Hermione is fine." Ron gave him a grateful glance. Two minutes after he did Hermione screamed. The boys jumped into action, waking her up and calming her down swiftly.

"Bellatrix…"

"Is dead." There were a few steady breaths.

"Of course you're right. I was just a little confused." She got up and numbly stared at the fire. Harry and Ron followed. The flames danced before their eyes and lulled them into a detached sense of calm.

"It all seems so…surreal." Hermione finally muttered. "I expected to be…much more emotional."

"We're going to be pretty messed up once the shock wears off."

"I suppose we have the right to be Ron." She stated. It was rather like looking through a glass wall for her. Soon it would crack again.

The silence enveloped them again, and eventually Hermione motivated them enough to get dressed once the sound of construction could be heard. "They'll come looking for us. Take the enchantments down Harry, or they'll panic."

Reconvening in the common room again, now fully dressed, the trio looked at the door and turned away.

"Everything's different now." Harry stated.

"We don't have to fight anymore…"

"No more saving the school- or the world."

…

"So what do we do now?" The three looked hopelessly at one another, unsure exactly of how to move on. Unsure of how to rebuild and create a life without the constant threat of death that had become standard for them.

A stern voice interrupted Harry's undecided answer. "Right now, I think you're going to serve detention for all of the colossal heart attacks you've given me and the rest of the staff." Minerva McGonagall was standing in the entrance of the room with an uncharacteristic beaming smile on her face, holding a tray of breakfast foods.


End file.
